![]() ![]() We have been using the PBS Building Big site, which has some great interactive labs and suggested classroom activities. My second grade gifted and talented students are currently studying bridges. At the end of the activity you feel the contradictory, but welcome, combination of being both drained and energized.įrom “Bridge Constructor Playground Free” ![]() ![]() It was one of those experiences where you find yourself slightly overwhelmed by the utter chaos but completely awed by the creativity and engagement of your students. I will definitely add this to my lesson plans again next year. Eichholz to dole out more pieces of tape). when there is a line of students waiting for Mrs. One student wrote, “We got our bridge done in time but we could have gotten it done earlyer if we had not been arguing.” All of the students thought planning was essential to a successful project – except one, who stated, “planing wast of time.” Another commented that the time it takes to complete building something can be delayed by things like, “how prodoctove your workers are.” His teammate was more blunt, “Our bridge did not get finish because some people don’t work.” They learned another reason for building delays can be when you don’t plan for enough materials and you have to wait for more to be delivered ( i.e. Their reflections afterward were fun to read. In the end, two groups succeeded in completing and testing their Sphero bridges. A lot of math was done – most of it correctly. Great discussions ensued about the best designs for their bridges. I was so impressed with their planning! They weighed the Sphero, used string to measure its circumference, did complicated calculations of the costs of materials, and measured straws and popsicle sticks with great care. Once I approved their plans, they could build. The students had to plan the materials they would use and then figure out the projected cost. I put a bunch of materials on one of my tables and gave them a chart listing the costs: Of course, they didn’t have to spend real money. It would need to be strong enough to drive a Sphero across, and cost the least amount of “money” possible. I gave teams the task of building a bridge that would span a 14-inch gap between two table edges. I modified the lesson plans a bit, borrowing from some other bridge-building lessons I’ve seen, and created yesterday’s challenge. When I saw the Sphero Bridge Building Challenge, I knew immediately what we were going to do. This year I really wanted to have them do more than follow the instructions in a kit. ![]() We have K’nex kits, and they enjoy learning about the different types of bridges as well as making their own versions. I was surprised to see some of the creative options they developed.Įvery year, my 2nd grade GT students build bridges as part of a unit on Structures. After the students realized that triangles are the strongest shape, I asked them to apply that knowledge to some new attempts at the paper bridge challenge. But this time I asked them to pause while we looked at the shapes interactive on the Building Big site. The students were good at connecting that their attempts at paper bridges were beam bridges, but they were definitely getting frustrated after about 10 minutes of trying and failing.Īt this point, I would usually have shown them the solution on the teacher notes. Then I challenged them to do this activity. This week, we reviewed a lot of the Language of the Discipline (they particularly like the word, “abutment,” – for obvious reasons), and they remembered quite a few from the video. This year, I started simple by showing the students a BrainPop video about bridges and using our Depth and Complexity mats to discuss the video. Even though the activities always seem to engage them, I felt like I wasn’t quite making the lessons meaningful. We start with bridges, and I usually challenge the students to make bridges out of different types of materials. My 2nd graders study structures, and our 2nd semester is spent on man-made structures. ![]()
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4/19/2023 02:58:48 am
We know that when you need a playground as a school, it’s often something that has to be arranged outside of teaching time, and you need a partner you can trust.
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